Yoon's Team Criticizes Special Prosecutor for Praising Its Own Poor Investigative Ability... Objects to 'Police Questioning'

Park Changhwan, Senior Superintendent, Leads Interrogation on Obstruction of Arrest Charges
Statement Issued After Morning Investigation: "A Prosecutor Should Conduct the Questioning"
Special Prosecutor for Insurrection: "Decision Made Considering Case Continuity"

On June 28, former President Yoon Sukyeol's legal team protested the fact that the morning investigation by the Special Prosecutor for Internal Affairs was conducted by a dispatched police officer, calling it "an investigation capability so poor that they have to ask a dispatched police officer to handle the questioning." They also demanded that these officers be excluded from the investigation.

Former President Yoon Sukyeol is appearing at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office building in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 28th to undergo investigation by the Special Prosecutor for Internal Affairs as a suspect. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 28th, immediately after the Special Prosecutor's morning investigation concluded, Yoon's legal representatives issued a statement to the press, saying, "Is it the Special Prosecutor's way of conducting investigations to have police officers who have been reported for illegal activities disguised as official duties carry out the questioning?"

The legal team stated, "We have reported police officers involved in the case, and Park Changhwan, the Senior Superintendent currently leading the investigation, has also been reported for directing the illegal arrest." They added, "The attorneys present at the investigation are demanding that a prosecutor conduct the questioning directly, and that the reported police officers, who have a clear conflict of interest and a significant lack of impartiality, be excluded from the investigation."

They continued, "The Special Prosecutor's Office, which is the largest in history, showed enough confidence to start the investigation immediately without any preparation period, yet is now demonstrating such poor investigative ability that it has to rely on the police for questioning." They further argued, "Despite this, the Special Prosecutor's Office is issuing self-congratulatory statements claiming that the morning investigation went well."

On this day, the Special Prosecutor for Internal Affairs focused its questioning of former President Yoon from 10:14 a.m. to around 12:44 p.m. on allegations that in January he instructed the Presidential Security Service to block the execution of an arrest warrant by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials. The investigation was led by Park Changhwan, Senior Superintendent and head of the Major Crimes Investigation Division at the National Police Agency, who has been in charge of the case.

Special Prosecutor Park Jiyoung stated at a press briefing that morning, "Considering the continuity of the case and other factors, Senior Superintendent Park, who has led the investigation from the beginning, is conducting it," adding, "This decision is based solely on investigative logic and efficiency."